Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wall stud locator tools and particularly to magnetic wall stud locator tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wall stud locator tools, often called xe2x80x9cstud findersxe2x80x9d have been developed over the years to assist in locating wall studs behind drywall r plaster walls. Once the walls have been finished, the location of the wall studs is not readily apparent. Two basic types of stud finders have been developed. One type uses the difference in density between the open stud cavity and the stud itself. This type is expensive. The second type is the magnetic stud finder. Because wall board or plaster lath is secured to the studs using metal fasteners, a magnet can be used to locate the stud by seeing differences in an alignment of a magnet as it passes over a wall. Once such device uses a flat housing and a magnet that sits vertically on a hinge pin. In the absence of metal, the magnet sits to one side of vertical, in the presence of metal, it stands straight. The problem with the device is that the magnet is weak. Also, the hinge pin construction causes the magnet to flop around as it is moved across the wall. This movement is exacerbated by a textured wall because every irregular surface causes the magnet to move. Because the magnet is weak, moving the magnet too fast may give false readings. It takes a while to find a stud using this device because one might have to pass over the fastener a few times before it is certain that the magnet is properly indicating a stud. Once found, the stud must be marked immediately as the device does not stick to the wall. Obviously, if the device is removed to obtain a marker, it may take additional time to relocate the stud with certainty. Similarly, other stud finders cannot be left in place once the stud is located.
The instant invention overcomes these problems. It uses a strong magnet mounted in a pen-like holder. The device is slid along a wall until a fastener is detected. The magnet is strong enough to provide firm pull on the fastener providing a sure response to the stud. The magnet is strong enough to hold the device securely to the wall so that it projects out orthogonally from the wall surface. The device can then be left in place, with no need to mark the location of the stud on the wall. Moreover, the device can be left in place while additional studs are located using the device as a reference and a tape measure to measure standard stud spacing in the wall. In this way, one or more studs may be quickly and surely located.